Storing vintage watches- PVC

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Hmmm, I currently store mine in these, but wrap the watch head in a layer of bubble wrap. I guess this would prevent the PVC from screwing with anything, but now I'm wondering if I need to add some rice or desiccant...

how is desiccant going to help?
 
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Wrap the watch head in a soft cloth or jewelry tissue paper first.

@STANDY - show'em the little watch sacks please!


 
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I use small ziplock bags all the time
 
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I keep mine in CaseClub customized Pelican cases. I add a thin cushion floor, with desiccant underneath.
 
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I agree with Mike.
Food quality freezer bags or equivalent sandwich bags would be OK.
Even I use them.
馃榿
 
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Another problem with the OP bags is they are not watertight. Food grade zip locks will keep contents dry after a minor soaking (such as a pipe leak in your house etc...) putting a desiccant sachet in will soak up any moisture left on the watch when you put it in (such as from your hands) and wrapping the watch in soft cloth won't hurt either.
 
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I think food bags are polyethylene and may be ok when used in conjunction with desiccant as most members are pointing out. I would not use PVC. We stored some guest bed linens in their original PVC bag on top of a wood dresser and the bag became very sticky were it was in contact with the wood. It ruined the finish.
 
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Folks

Dessicant will only absorb water. It will not absorb any outgases or plasticiser leaching from these plastic bags.

Medicinal quality hdpe ( high density polyethylene) will also contain oils carried over from the manufacturing process - these oils will be either medicinal white oils ( 80-130 ppm generally in the finished hdpe product) or PAG ( poly alkylene glycol based - generally 20-50 ppm carried over into the finished product)

Other additves - ie antioxidants, plasticisers etc may also be added to almost all plastics we come across in our daily lives

So, i would not store watches in plastic bags (of any sort), for a long period of time

Cheers paul


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Folks

Dessicant will only absorb water. It will not absorb any outgases or plasticiser leaching from these plastic bags.

Medicinal quality hdpe ( high density polyethylene) will also contain oils carried over from the manufacturing process - these oils will be either medicinal white oils ( 80-130 ppm generally in the finished hdpe product) or PAG ( poly alkylene glycol based - generally 20-50 ppm carried over into the finished product)

Other additves - ie antioxidants, plasticisers etc may also be added to almost all plastics we come across in our daily lives

So, i would not store watches in plastic bags (of any sort), for a long period of time

Cheers paul


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Are these substances more damaging than human sweat and other skin secretions? 馃槈
 
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Probably not, but they are different. Sweat is mainly water salt , those in plastics are organic compounds from various different classes - antioxidants will be mainly phenol derivatives or diphenylamine derivatives.

Plasticisors are chemically very nasty substances - toxic - being generally based on phthalate ester chemistry




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I still have yet to see any evidence of any harm from these containers, but I see evidence of no harm from myself and at least two others who have used them for years. Maybe it's the attorney in me, but I feel there should be at least one example of these evil plastic bags murdering an innocent watch before anyone finds them guilty. 馃檮
 
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Hmmm, I currently store mine in these, but wrap the watch head in a layer of bubble wrap. I guess this would prevent the PVC from screwing with anything, but now I'm wondering if I need to add some rice or desiccant...
I use the Acetimers too, with desiccant.
Besides the PVC outgas and sticking to bezels,
now I'm worrying the desiccant will dry out the lubrication
of the movement?
 
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I don't know that I would trust that foam. I've experienced
opening something after a few years and that foam
has decomposed to crumble